Hello Ontbirds people, Apologies if much of the following is redundant (the weekly Ottawa area summary was posted today). This report includes a few more details re: some of the more interesting results of our Fall Bird Count, as well as a couple of corrections to the summary which I reported to the Ottawa Bird Status Line yesterday.
Please remember that all of these results are still "preliminary", and some of the species and numbers may be adjusted if new information is subsequently received by the 4 sector leaders. The "final" report should appear on the OFNC web site soon. The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club 10th annual Fall Bird Count was held from 3:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Sat. 16 Oct. - Sun. 17 Oct. This count covers the entire Ottawa-Gatineau naturalists' area - a 50 k radius from the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. Although the weather was not ideal (chilly temperatures compounded by intermittent rain and sometimes strong SW winds), there was a good turn-out of participants in all 4 sectors, and a heart-warming dinner was provided for the compilation, by the OFNC Birds Committee at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden on Sunday evening during the compilation. Thanks to Terry Higgins, Marilyn Ward, Jean Wylie (and Louise who again brought the excellent bread and cheese - sorry I don't know her last name!) and to all who helped with the compilation. Thanks also to the diligent sector leaders: Daniel St-Hiliare (NE), Garry McNulty (NW), Bernie Ladouceur (SE), and Ken Allison (SW). A preliminary total of 136 species were recorded, with several record high counts including Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Greater White-fronted Goose, Ruddy Duck, Merlin, Black-bellied Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Savannah Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle & Brown-headed Cowbird. A definite highlight was the number of SHOREBIRDS -- 15 species, the highest ever for this Fall Count: 42 Black-bellied Plover 7 American Golden Plover 2 Semipalmated Plover 94 Killdeer 55 Greater Yellowlegs 10 Lesser Yellowlegs 2 Hudsonian Godwit 10 Sanderling 1 Least Sandpiper 72 White-rumped Sandpiper 100 Pectoral Sandpiper 95 Dunlin 1 Long-billed Dowitcher 17 Wilson's Snipe 1 American Woodcock Locally rare species included: 1 Eurasian Wigeon in the NE sector (Quebec) 1 Great Egret in the SW sector at Shirleys Bay 2 Greater White-fronted Geese - one in the SE at Milton Rd and 1 in the SW at Shirleys Bay 2 Hudsonian Godwits in the SW at Constance Bay 1 Red-headed Woodpecker in the SW at Constance Bay 2 Loggerhead Shrikes in the NE sector (Quebec) -1 in Cantley and 1 in the Marais aux Laiches Ouest 1 Carolina Wren in the SW at Constance Bay Several late species were also found, including American Bittern, Green Heron, Osprey, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Palm Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Grasshopper Sparrow. Good Birding! Chris Lewis Ottawa (For directions to specific locations for any of the aforementioned birds, please e-mail me personally at [EMAIL PROTECTED] If I cannot provide specifics, I can direct you to the sector leaders).
